Taliban Scum

Shock Time cover illustrates the plight of women under the Taliban

ime magazine's latest issue carries this disturbing cover image. It's a portrait of Aisha, a shy 18-year-old Afghan woman who was sentenced by a Taliban commander to have her nose and ears cut off for fleeing her abusive in-laws.

Aisha posed for the picture because she wants the world to see the effect a Taliban resurgence would have on the women of Afghanistan.

Her picture is accompanied More..by a powerful story on how Afghan women have embraced the freedoms that have come from the defeat of the Taliban — and how they fear a Taliban revival.

Richard Stengel, Time's managing editor, writes: "I thought long and hard about whether to put this image on the cover... First, I wanted to make sure of Aisha's safety and that she understood what it would mean to be on the cover.

"She knows that she will become a symbol of the price Afghan women have had to pay for the repressive ideology of the Taliban. We also confirmed that she is in a secret location protected by armed guards and sponsored by the NGO Women for Afghan Women.

"Aisha will head to the US for reconstructive surgery sponsored by the Grossman Burn Foundation, a humanitarian organisation in California." Stengel goes on to explain:

I'm acutely aware that this image will be seen by children, who will undoubtedly find it distressing. We have consulted with a number of child psychologists about its potential impact.

Some think children are so used to seeing violence in the media that the image will have little effect, but others believe that children will find it very scary and distressing...

I showed it to my two young sons, nine, and 12, who both immediately felt sorry for Aisha and asked why anyone would have done such harm to her. I apologise to readers who find the image too strong...

But bad things do happen to people, and it is part of our job to confront and explain them. In the end, I felt that the image is a window into the reality of what is happening — and what can happen — in a war that affects and involves all of us.

I would rather confront readers with the Taliban's treatment of women than ignore it. I would rather people know that reality as they make up their minds about what the U.S. and its allies should do in Afghanistan.

I think you've done the right thing.

My heart goes out, not only to Aisha, to women the world over who are oppressed.

I admire Aisha's bravery in posing for the picture.

Many women are not physically harmed but get the mental torment.

It's all oppression and that is evil.

How anyone can treat another person like that is beyond belief.I hate the way the Taliban treats women.

Although i hate the Taliban,i cant help feeling the same discust for America as well for starting them,arming them and training them in the first place.

Although i hate the Taliban,i cant help feeling the same discust for America as well for starting them,arming them and training them in the first place.

When did they do this then??? Rest of the world must have missed that bit as well... you'd think it would have been reported somewhere if they did that....

When did they do this then??? Rest of the world must have missed that bit as well... you'd think it would have been reported somewhere if they did that....

Most of the forces America have been and are fighting they've trained up themselves. Then due to different reasons they've fallen out and ended up fighting them

The Taliban, Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, the Vietminh (called the Vietcong by the Americans)

All trained up, tooled up and financed by the Americans.

The reason why people miss it is because in the Western world, the press is heavily controlled and we don't even realise it.

Even watching a TV news channel like Russia Today can be a great eye opener.

Most of the forces America have been and are fighting they've trained up themselves.

 

The Taliban, Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, the Vietcong

 

All trained up, tooled up and financed by the Americans.

Yup, the Americans always support 'my enemy's enemy' because they're friends. . . aren't they? Until America wants to impress it's own will when the enemy has been vanquished. Then the 'friends' take a dislike to America and proceed to bite it's bum!

I don't necessarily doubt its validity, but that's some pretty good propaganda right there. Which will also quite easily be transformed in the minds of many from anti-Taliban to anti-Muslim.

America has always made friends with whoever they can do a good commercial deal with, regardless of anything like human rights or democracy.

If North Korea had 100 million barrels of oil they offered the Americans on the cheap, they'd in time be the best of friends.

When did they do this then??? Rest of the world must have missed that bit as well... you'd think it would have been reported somewhere if they did that....

Well known fact.

They did this when the Afgans were fighting the Russians, this is now the same bunch of no-mark warlords, fighting the hand that fed them.

When did they do this then??? Rest of the world must have missed that bit as well... you'd think it would have been reported somewhere if they did that....

During the Soviet-Afghan war in the late 80s

I don't necessarily doubt its validity, but that's some pretty good propaganda right there. Which will also quite easily be transformed in the minds of many from anti-Taliban to anti-Muslim.

Right again. I think it may be used on here, somewhere.

Well known fact.

 

They did this when the Afgans were fighting the Russians, this is now the same bunch of no-mark warlords, fighting the hand that fed them.

Actually i'll think you'll find that the Americans funded the Mujahideen. The Taliban didn't actually emerge until 94 at the earliest. Common mistake to make, so don't beat yourself up too much about it.

Actually i'll think you'll find that the Americans funded the Mujahideen. The Taliban didn't actually emerge until 94 at the earliest. Common mistake to make, so don't beat yourself up too much about it.

Ooooh, did we learn how to use Wikipedia this morning?

Yes, it's amazing what you can find on there!

Actually i'll think you'll find that the Americans funded the Mujahideen. The Taliban didn't actually emerge until 94 at the earliest. Common mistake to make, so don't beat yourself up too much about it.

And of course, none of the Mujahideen became members of the Taliban did they.

Actually i'll think you'll find that the Americans funded the Mujahideen. The Taliban didn't actually emerge until 94 at the earliest. Common mistake to make, so don't beat yourself up too much about it.

. . . The mujahideen which then split into various factions after the Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan, and began fighting for control of Kabul. One such faction which got the backing of Pakistan and the US and eventually took control.

Do you want to have a guess at what this faction was called?

Yes, it's name was the Taleban. Yep those 'heroes' in that Rambo film were very likely to have been Taleban militants.

Easy mistake to make, don't beat yourself up about it

. . . The mujahideen which then split into various factions after the Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan, and began fighting for control of Kabul. One such faction which got the backing of Pakistan and the US and eventually took control.

 

Do you want to have a guess at what this faction was called?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, it's name was the Taleban. Yep those 'heroes' in that Rambo film were very likely to have been Taleban militants.

 

Easy mistake to make, don't beat yourself up about it

Well done Soppy.

Jeez, some on here could have an argument in an empty room!

The Northern Alliance was a building Society before they diversified into Afghan politics.

How about a picture of Ian Tomlinson in the morgue on the cover of Time for next month?

The CIA also funded and trained Osama Binladen before he became the most wanted man in the world.

America has a lot of double standards when it comes to terrorism.Dont forget they knew about fund rasing for the IRA through Norad for years.

Doesn't matter who did what in the end of the Day Islam and the Mad Mullahs are the biggest threat to all out lives. Find a conflict in the world and more likley than not you will find a Muslim.

Yes, it's name was the Taleban. Yep those 'heroes' in that Rambo film were very likely to have been Taleban militants.

Always makes me laugh when you see 'Dedicated to the brave people of Afghanistan' in one of the Rambo films (can't remember which one - maybe the third?)

Doesn't matter who did what in the end of the Day Islam and the Mad Mullahs are the biggest threat to all out lives. Find a conflict in the world and more likley than not you will find a Muslim.

Please do some research,

there are more Christian militants in the world than there are Islamic militants. You don't hear about them because neither us or the states are in direct conflict with them. Besides as pointed out before, the "mad mullahs" are where they are because America has financed and armed them.

The biggest threat to the world is the US and it's allies interfering in the matters of, invading and enforcing "democracy" (ie: a corrupt regime propped up by the US) in other countries.

Problem is, the middle east is where the oil is

I suppose stories like this make us being in Afghanistan worthwhile mission, but I don't think anything will change because the taliban rule the roost and will reassert themselves when no-one is there to harrass them.

I suppose stories like this make us being in Afghanistan worthwhile mission, but I don't think anything will change because the taliban rule the roost and will reassert themselves when no-one is there to harrass them.

Yeah I agree, I may not be clued up on the intricacies, but I really cant see an afghan police/army being tooled/trained enough to fight off the taliban

Why was my post deleted from this thread?

Most of the forces America have been and are fighting they've trained up themselves. Then due to different reasons they've fallen out and ended up fighting them

 

The Taliban, Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, the Vietminh (called the Vietcong by the Americans)

 

All trained up, tooled up and financed by the Americans.

 

The reason why people miss it is because in the Western world, the press is heavily controlled and we don't even realise it.

 

Even watching a TV news channel like Russia Today can be a great eye opener.

As scandalous as that sounds, most of it isn't true. Saddam, yes. But the Taliban for example were entirely established and financed by the Pakistani intelligence service, the ISI, as a means of fighting a proxy war with the Indians (both compete for influence in Afghanistan). In fact, the Taliban (which means 'student') began in the Saudi-financed madrassas of northwest Pakistan.

One of the great myths about OBL is that he was American-financed. He wasn't. He was supported, and at one point actually in the employment of, the Saudi intelligence service. Unlike the mainstream mujahadeen fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan, OBL and his merry band were also notoriously useless. (For chapter and verse on this, read Lawrence Wright's 'The Looming Tower'.) If an American Stinger missile had by any chance ever found its way into OBL's hands while he was supposedly fighting the soviets, he would only have succeeded in firing it up his own ar$e. His success with 9/11 had everything to do with the money he was able to throw at the project (together with Khaled Sheikh Mohammad's planning) - and most of that had come from a mix of re-directed Saudi intelligence funds and income from the family business.

By the way, why have I been downgraded to 'registered user', having just received notification from paypal that saintsweb has deducted £5?

By the way, why have I been downgraded to 'registered user', having just received notification from paypal that saintsweb has deducted £5?

Are you NI?

Find a conflict in the world and more likley than not you will find a Muslim.

Actually, you are more likely to find a Christian. Do some research that doesn't involve sitting in the back of a taxi, hearing an opinion and appropriating the opinion as fact.

Again - why was my post deleted? There was one sentence which related to OTHER USERS taking the mick and telling them it wasn't on, and then the rest was a normal reply to the thread. Mods out FFS.

I have worked in the Middle East for the best part of 20 years so i think i have a better view of the area than most.

Again - why was my post deleted? There was one sentence which related to OTHER USERS taking the mick and telling them it wasn't on, and then the rest was a normal reply to the thread. Mods out FFS.

take a ****ing chill pill. Your post was in relation to other posts that I had to delete, Im sorry I didnt remove the elements of that particular post that werent in direct relation to the deleted posts

take a ****ing chill pill. Your post was in relation to other posts that I had to delete, Im sorry I didnt remove the elements of that particular post that werent in direct relation to the deleted posts

That's alright - just odd that it was there one minute and then half the thread was gone along with my thoughts on the subject!

As scandalous as that sounds, most of it isn't true. Saddam, yes. But the Taliban for example were entirely established and financed by the Pakistani intelligence service, the ISI, as a means of fighting a proxy war with the Indians (both compete for influence in Afghanistan). In fact, the Taliban (which means 'student') began in the Saudi-financed madrassas of northwest Pakistan.

 

One of the great myths about OBL is that he was American-financed. He wasn't. He was supported, and at one point actually in the employment of, the Saudi intelligence service. Unlike the mainstream mujahadeen fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan, OBL and his merry band were also notoriously useless. (For chapter and verse on this, read Lawrence Wright's 'The Looming Tower'.) If an American Stinger missile had by any chance ever found its way into OBL's hands while he was supposedly fighting the soviets, he would only have succeeded in firing it up his own ar$e. His success with 9/11 had everything to do with the money he was able to throw at the project (together with Khaled Sheikh Mohammad's planning) - and most of that had come from a mix of re-directed Saudi intelligence funds and income from the family business.

It's not strictly a myth, where as Wright may assert that - it is merely that an assertion. The secretive nature of intelligence services makes it hard to get the full truth. For every Wright there are many others that will suggest with substantial evidence (which im sure Wright also has) to back up their claims that Bin Laden was at some point.

From the various reading I have done (I did quite a bit of research on Terrorism and Security whilst at uni - and worked with a pretty respected professor on the topic) I would think there was some link between the US and Bin Laden, the Bush family certainly does seem to have some ties to the Bin Laden family. It does seem to appear the US did provide some arms and funding to Osama and co. for anti-Soviet operations, but the length and substance of such provisions is debatable.

I have worked in the Middle East for the best part of 20 years so i think i have a better view of the area than most.

How you can claim to have a better view than most with comments such as your previous post is truly staggering. How someone can work in an area for 20 years and still be so astoundingly ignorant is absolutely unbelievable.

I don't see what American support in the 80's has got to do with today's Taleban.

It's not strictly a myth, where as Wright may assert that - it is merely that an assertion. The secretive nature of intelligence services makes it hard to get the full truth. For every Wright there are many others that will suggest with substantial evidence (which im sure Wright also has) to back up their claims that Bin Laden was at some point.

 

From the various reading I have done (I did quite a bit of research on Terrorism and Security whilst at uni - and worked with a pretty respected professor on the topic) I would think there was some link between the US and Bin Laden, the Bush family certainly does seem to have some ties to the Bin Laden family. It does seem to appear the US did provide some arms and funding to Osama and co. for anti-Soviet operations, but the length and substance of such provisions is debatable.

To claim that Wright's argument is 'merely an assertion' is pretty breathtaking. And if there is 'substantial evidence' that the Americans funded Bin Laden, where and what is it? If the answer is a series of links to American conspiracy theorists, then you can forget it. It's an article of faith among these idiots that the known links between Bush and various Saudi higher-ups, including the highly influential Bin Laden family, is evidence that the US funded Osama. Which is nonsense. OBL dissociated himself from his family - and they from him - years ago.

Long story short, the picture of the poor girl on the Time cover owes nothing directly to American interference in the region. (You can claim all kinds of indirect links - but you'll just end up going round in circles.) The Taliban neanderthals who did that to her grew up in Saudi-financed maddrassas in Pakistan or Afghanistan, or were recruited by people who did. These maddrassas were financed by the Saudis and spread throughout Pakistan and Afghanistan as a result of the (admittedly American-backed) Zia al Huq's decison to accept their money and 'Islamicize' (his word) the region.

As 'Charlie Wilson's War' makes clear, American support for the mujahadeen was sporadic and opportunistic - and conducted by mavericks, not mainstream CIA operatives. Even so, they supported mujadeen leaders like Ahmad Shah Massoud, the 'Lion of Panjshir', whose relationship to OBL was clearly demonstrated by the fact that OBL sent two men, posing as a camera team, to murder him on September 10, 2001.

Incidentally, I'd be curious to know who your prof was at university.

My partner is from Pakistan so i have a pretty good insight into their culture and belief systems.

Quite frankly you would be appalled at what goes on behind closed doors in much of their communities and the way women are treated compared to men.

I would say the problem is more cultural than religious and many from the indian sub continent exported their primitive ways when they came here and want the best of both worlds, jobs,eduacation, welfare, yet the second one of their daughters crosses the divide and dates a christian-all hell breaks loose.

I could write much more about this.